Kannur: Kerala Police are preparing to invoke the Kerala Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act (KAAPA) against Arjun Ayanki, a former CPM cyber warrior now facing charges of organised crime, in a move that could keep him in preventive detention for up to six months.
He was arrested on Sunday after a statewide search on a complaint filed by Kannur District Congress President Martin George for allegedly defaming Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala in a Facebook post.
The Valapattanam police are preparing a report to be submitted to the Kannur District Collector, seeking action under the anti-goonda law. Valapattanam Station House Officer said Ayanki is facing 23 criminal cases, and the charges included allegations of robbery, dacoity and culpable homicide. “We cannot say how long it will take to prepare the report, but the report is in the making,” the SHO said.
Under KAAPA, a detention order can be issued against a person classified as a “known goonda” or “known rowdy” if the competent authority is satisfied that preventive detention is necessary to stop further anti-social activity. The law provides for preventive detention for a period of up to six months at a time.
The move comes a day after Ayanki was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days in a case registered by the Kannur Cyber Police over the Facebook post targeting Chennithala. He was arrested around 2.30 am on Sunday after a tip-off from an auto driver.
Chennithala announced that the driver would be given a reward of ₹1 lakh.
Ayanki’s lawyer M K Hassan has said the defence does not intend to seek bail in the cybercrime case because the police could arrest him in other pending cases as soon as he is released. “Even if he secures bail in Sunday’s case, the police may subsequently arrest him in connection with other cases. We have already decided that we will not apply for bail in this case,” Hassan said. The Oonnukal police in Ernakulam are expected to approach the court seeking his formal arrest in another case.
Facebook posts triggered latest case
The immediate case against Ayanki arose from a Facebook post in which he challenged Chennithala to order a reinvestigation into the case registered against him and six others by the Kothamangalam police in May. Ayanki alleged that the case was false and demanded action against Kothamangalam Inspector Prashanth Kumar if a reinvestigation established that the charges were fabricated. The post contained abusive and provocative language.
Kannur District Congress Committee president Martin George subsequently filed a complaint, following which the Kannur Cyber Police registered a case under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to provocation, obscenity, criminal intimidation, public mischief and defamation.
The police, in their remand report, alleged that Ayanki’s post was intended to provoke the public, disturb public peace and incite violence. They also cited the possibility of repetition of offences, absconding and destruction of evidence as reasons for opposing his release on bail.
The police have also registered cases over Ayanki’s alleged social media threats against the Kothamangalam station house officer and his family. Another case was registered by the Oonnukal police after he allegedly abused and threatened an inspector on social media following the Kerala High Court’s rejection of his anticipatory bail plea.
Ayanki has denied the allegations and has maintained that his social media posts were a response to what he considers an unjust police action against him.
Kothamangalam case
The Kothamangalam case dates back to May 3, when police arrested Ayanki and five others from a homestay in Punnekkad. A seventh, Manikandan, the accused, allegedly escaped.
According to the FIR, police had received information that the group had assembled to conspire to commit a highway robbery and steal gold. The police registered the case of organised crime under Sections 111(3) and 111(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Police seized five mobile phones and three vehicles, including a Porsche Cayenne.
Ayanki, however, has maintained that he and his friends had travelled to Kothamangalam to attend a friend’s wedding. In a series of Facebook posts after securing bail, he accused the Kothamangalam police of falsely implicating them and repeatedly targeted the investigating officer.
The posts eventually led to further cases against him.
From political activist to history-sheeter
Ayanki, a native of Azhikkal in Kannur, began his political activities as a DYFI unit secretary and later became prominent as a CPM supporter on social media. He built a substantial following by aggressively targeting political opponents online.
His name later surfaced in cases linked to alleged gold-smuggling networks, including the Ramanattukara incident in which five people were killed in a road accident while allegedly pursuing a vehicle connected to a gold-smuggling network.
He has also faced cases involving alleged attacks and attempts to intercept people linked to smuggling networks, besides cases registered by the Customs Department.
The DYFI subsequently severed ties with him after allegations of criminal links emerged. The CPM leadership has also repeatedly distanced itself from Ayanki.
The police now intend to use his alleged criminal history and the number of cases against him as the basis for the proposed KAAPA action.
For now, however, Ayanki remains in judicial custody in the cybercrime case. Any preventive detention under KAAPA would require a separate detention process and order.
